How to Become a Designer

You don’t need a degree to become a designer.
You don’t need a top art school, a perfect portfolio or years of experience.

You need taste.
You need consistency.
You need practice.

Design isn’t a talent you’re born with
it’s a skill you build.
Step by step. Project by project. Mistake by mistake.

Anyone can learn design if they understand one truth:
It’s not about making things look pretty
it’s about learning how to see, how to think, and how to solve problems visually.

In this issue, we’ll break down exactly how to start
from skills, tools, and mindset, to your first portfolio and clients.

Let’s make you a designer one step at a time.

A designer isn’t someone who “makes things pretty.”
Aesthetics matter but they’re not the job.

A designer is a problem-solver.
Someone who understands users, simplifies complexity, and communicates ideas visually.

Design is thinking.
Design is structure.
Design is decision-making.

It’s the ability to see what others miss
spacing, hierarchy, flow, clarity, emotion.

A great designer builds systems, not just screens.
They create experiences, not just visuals.

At its core, design is a combination of three things:

If you can do these three things,
you’re already becoming a designer
the visuals come with practice.

Becoming a designer isn’t about learning one tool or one style
it’s about building a set of skills that work together.

Here are the four pillars every designer should master

This is the foundation of everything.
It’s how you make ideas clear, beautiful, and easy to understand.

You’ll need to learn:

Good visual design makes people trust your work instantly.

Design isn’t just about how it looks it’s about how it works.

UX thinking teaches you to:

It’s the mindset that turns pretty screens into meaningful experiences.

Tools don’t make you a designer but they help you execute.

Start with the essentials:

Learn just enough to build mastery comes later.

This is where beginners stand out.
Your ability to communicate your ideas matters more than you think.

You’ll improve through:

Design is 50% visuals, 50% communication.
Many designers learn this late you’ll learn it early.

Your portfolio isn’t a collection of client projects
it’s a collection of your thinking.

And the good news?
You don’t need real clients to create real work.
Some of the best portfolios on the internet were built entirely from self-initiated projects.

Here’s how to build yours:

Pick brands, apps, websites, or problems you love and redesign them.
No permission needed.
No approvals.
Just practice and creativity.

You can create:

Great portfolios come from curiosity not client lists.

The final design is only half the story.
What clients care about is how you think.

Show:

Designers who explain their process stand out instantly.

Mockups look nice.
Case studies win clients.

A single, well-written case study can be stronger than 10 random shots.
It proves you understand strategy, UX, reasoning, and problem-solving not just visuals.

Structure each case study like this:

This is how you build trust before the client ever meets you.

The biggest shift in your design journey won’t come from a tool or a course
it’ll come from learning how to see.

Designers aren’t born with great taste.
They develop it by studying the world around them piece by piece.

Here’s how you build that skill

Don’t just look at good design
analyze it.

Ask questions like:

Reverse-engineering great design teaches you more than any tutorial.

Good design is not about colors or fancy effects
it’s about structure.

Focus on:

Spacing is 50% of design.
Hierarchy is the other 50%.

That one question develops your taste faster than anything else.

When something “feels right,” break it down.
Find the invisible rules behind it.
The more patterns you recognize, the better you design.

Taste isn’t magic it’s pattern recognition.
And you build it by seeing with intention.

Your first clients won’t come from luck
they’ll come from visibility, value, and taking small steps consistently.

You don’t need ads.
You don’t need a huge portfolio.
You don’t need to wait.

Here’s how to get started 👇

Share what you’re learning.
Post your redesigns, case studies, thoughts, and process.

Clients don’t hire the best designer
they hire the most visible designer.

People pay attention when you help them first.

Create small pieces of value like:

This positions you as an expert instantly.

Your outreach doesn’t need to be dramatic.
A simple, human message works:

“Hey, I love what you’re building.
I’d like to help you improve ____.
Here’s my portfolio — let me know if you'd like ideas.”

Short, respectful, and value-focused.

Your first goal isn’t money it’s momentum.
Do a couple of small, well-executed projects.

They’ll give you:

Once you have 2–3 solid projects, clients start finding you.

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Learn more.

You don’t need expensive courses or advanced tools to start.
These resources will help you learn faster, practice smarter, and stay inspired.

Here’s a simple, beginner-friendly list

(Free, high-quality tutorials and breakdowns)

Becoming a designer isn’t a straight line
it’s a journey built on curiosity, practice, and showing up even when you feel like a beginner.

You don’t have to know everything today.
You just have to keep learning, keep trying, and keep creating.

Because design isn’t something you learn once
it’s something you grow into.
Project by project.
Version by version.
Year by year.

If you’re starting your design journey, you’re not late you’re on time.
And if you ever feel stuck, just remember: every great designer you admire was once exactly where you are now.

Want help? Have questions? Want feedback?
Reply to this newsletter or share your work
We’d love to help you get better, faster.

Let’s grow together.
Let’s design better.
Let’s Kriate